Medical Guardian Review, Our Hands-On Test

Medical Guardian Pros and Cons

Video Review

If you prefer watching instead of reading, check out our updated Medical Guardian video review, in which our Managing Editor, Ryan Molloy, tests out the MGHome Cellular.

Testing My Medical Guardian System

To purchase a Medical Guardian system, we highly recommend visiting their website. While their devices can be found at retailers like Walmart and Amazon, Medical Guardian’s website gives you access to their customer support. In our experience, Medical Guardian’s customer support team went to great lengths to help us decide which system would be right for us, inquiring about the user’s activity levels, their home’s layout, and the user’s technological proficiency.

While we’ve tested out every system from Medical Guardian, for the purposes of this review, we’re going to focus on the MGHome Cellular. This in-home medical alert system will give you a good idea of how all of Medical Guardian’s systems work. To read reviews of Medical Guardian’s other systems, click the links below:

• MGMini Review
• MGMini Lite Review
• MGMove Watch Review

Unboxing

Upon receiving our MGHome Cellular, we removed it from the box and found the following pieces of equipment:

• 1 base unit
• 1 power cable
• 1 help button
• 1 bracelet attachment
• 1 pendant attachment
• 1 instruction manual

One thing that struck us immediately with the MGHome Cellular was the sleekness of its base unit. While the base units of other systems often look clunky and clinical, this one was comparably attractive. Made of smooth, rounded white plastic, this system’s base unit looked more like a smart speaker than a medical alert system. Its glowing pink help button only added to the appeal.

Something else we appreciated with this system was that Medical Guardian included both pendant and wristband attachments for the help button. While other medical alert companies require a person to choose either a bracelet or pendant help button, Medical Guardian includes both options for no extra cost.

>> Further Reading: The Best Medical Alert Necklaces

Installation

The setup process for the MGHome Cellular was straightforward and intuitive. The first step was to plug the base unit into a wall outlet. Once we did this, we waited a few seconds, and the base unit then announced, “Device ready.” In a matter of seconds, our system was ready to test.

Test Calls

With the MGHome Cellular, we could make an emergency call in one of two ways. We could either press and hold the dedicated button on the base unit, or we could press and hold the wearable help button.

Unlike calling 911, placing an emergency call with the MGHome Cellular connects you to a professional monitoring center. These monitoring agents have a list of emergency contacts and, if relevant, a list of medical conditions. This allows them to more effectively help the user.

For our first test call, we pressed the button on the base unit. Once we held the button for three seconds, the device stated, “Initiating help.” After twelve seconds passed, we were connected with a monitoring agent, and we informed them that we were making a test call. The agent then asked for us to confirm our name and address, and he informed us that the device was working properly.

For our next test call, we used the wearable help button, and we initiated this call from the kitchen. (For reference, the base unit was located in our living room.) We did this to test the power of the system’s speaker and microphone. This is very important for home medical alert systems, as wearable help buttons don’t have their own speakerphones, meaning calls are conducted through the speaker and microphone of the base unit.

>> Read more: The Best Medical Alert Systems With GPS

As with our first test call, operators picked up our second test call in an impressive eight seconds. We were also pleased that the speaker on the base unit was loud enough to hear from a different room, 40 feet away from where we initiated the call. The base unit’s microphone also proved powerful enough to capture our voice, and we were able to accurately relay to the response agent that we were, once again, simply testing our system.

Across all of our test calls, we found that the MGHome Cellular connected us with help in an average of eight seconds. That’s faster than any other system we’ve tested, and we feel more than assured that this Medical Guardian system will protect our loved ones in the event of an emergency.

For comparison, systems from Bay Alarm Medical answered our test calls in an average of 16 seconds. Systems from Life Alert answered our calls in an average of 120 seconds. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

To learn more about our experiences with these systems, be sure to read our Bay Alarm Medical Review and Life Alert Review.

>> Compare: Medical Guardian vs. Life Alert

MyGuardian App and Portal

Medical Guardian Pricing

The MGHome Cellular system costs $37.95 per month, which is a bit higher than average for an in-home system. Additionally, I had to pay a one-time equipment charge of $149.95.

The company does not require long-term contracts, so when I returned my equipment, I was able to stop making monthly payments. That said, the company no longer offers trial periods, so I did not receive a refund of my equipment charge.

With so many systems and add-ons, the price of your Medical Guardian system will likely vary. To learn more about Medical Guardian’s many devices and their prices, take a look at our Medical Guardian costs page.

Medical Guardian vs. Bay Alarm Medical

In terms of medical alert companies, both Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical are among our favorites. Both providers offer a variety of systems that can be used both in the home and on the go; however, in our tests, we found two key differences.

With Medical Guardian, we found that monitoring agents answered our calls in an average of eight seconds, while Bay Alarm Medical agents answered in an average of 16 seconds. While both of these response times are better than average, Medical Guardian consistently answered our emergency calls more quickly.

The other primary difference is the price. Medical Guardian systems start at $29.95 per month, while Bay Alarm Medical systems cost $24.95 per month. Across the board, we found that Bay Alarm Medical systems were roughly $5 cheaper per month.

To read our full comparison of these two providers, check out our Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical comparison.

Final Thoughts on Medical Guardian

There’s a reason I chose Medical Guardian as one of the best medical alert systems. The company offers many unique systems for every lifestyle, from homebound users to older adults who travel and go outside every day. Medical Guardian is the peak of what a medical alert system can be. The MGClassic is a simple, affordable system that does the basics flawlessly. I was blown away by its 1,400 foot range, as well as its easy setup and clear two-way communication.